Coolant filling apparatus for a motor vehicle

ABSTRACT

A coolant filling apparatus for a motor vehicle is provided, which includes a plastic body, a pressure gauge, a vacuum generator, a first passage, a second passage and a third passage. The pressure gauge and the vacuum generator are directly installed on the plastic body, and the first and second passages are disposed in an interior of the plastic body. A tube is formed is disposed on the second passage, and one terminal of the tube is formed with a threaded section to be engaged with the second passage, another terminal thereof connects to a metallic tapered body, which is sleeved by a rubber tapered sleeve.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a maintenance apparatus of a motor vehicle, and particularly relates to a coolant filling apparatus for filling a cooling system of the motor vehicle.

2. Description of the Prior Art

As disclosed in Taiwan patent No. M249880 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,360,790, a conventional coolant filling apparatus includes a main body and a vacuum generator, in which the vacuum generator is additionally attached onto the main body. Therefore, the conventional coolant filling apparatus is more space occupying, and the vacuum generator thereof is more possibly knocked against which may cause the main body disengaged with a coolant system of the motor vehicle when in use. Besides, the joint portion between the main body and the vacuum generator is worn-down and becomes loose gradually, which may break the vacuum when the coolant filling apparatus is in use.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The main object of the present invention is to provide a coolant filling apparatus for a motor vehicle that a vacuum generator is monolithic with the plastic body thereof.

To achieve the above object, the coolant filling apparatus of the present invention includes a plastic body, a pressure gauge, a vacuum generator, a first passage, a second passage and a third passage.

The pressure gauge and the vacuum generator are directly installed in an interior of the plastic body, and the first and second passages are disposed in the interior of the plastic body as well. A tube is further disposed on the second passage. One terminal of the tube is formed with an external threaded section to be engaged with the second entrance, and another terminal thereof connects to a metallic tapered body, which is sleeved by a rubber tapered sleeve.

The present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, which show, for purpose of illustrations only, the preferred embodiments in accordance with the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a breakdown drawing showing a coolant filling apparatus in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a pictorial drawing showing a coolant filling apparatus in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a drawing showing the usage state (I) of a coolant filling apparatus in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a drawing showing the usage state (II) of a coolant filling apparatus in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is schematic drawing showing internal passages in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is schematic drawing showing internal passages in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Please refer to FIG. 1, 2, 5 and 6. The coolant filling apparatus of the present invention includes a plastic body 10, a pressure gauge 20, a vacuum generator 50, a first passage, a second passage and a third passage.

The pressure gauge 20 and the vacuum generator 50 are directly installed in an interior of the plastic body 10, and the first and second passages are disposed in the interior of the plastic body 10 as well. A joint opening is formed on the plastic body 10 to receive the pressure gauge 20 therein, and a gauge end of the pressure gauge 20 is disposed in a vacuum section of the second passage, provided when the coolant filling apparatus is in use, to gauge pressure therein.

The first and second passages communicate with each other. Two terminals of the first passage are formed with a first entrance 41, for connecting to a compressor (not shown), and a first exit 42 respectively. A first valve 45 is disposed on the first passage near the first entrance 41 to control the air flow in the first passage. More specifically, the second exit 42 is a non-return valve for air to be evacuated therefrom only. In addition, the vacuum generator 50 is disposed between the first entrance 41 and the first exit 42.

The second passage includes a second entrance 43 and a second exit 47. The second exit 47 communicates with the vacuum generator 50 and the third passage. Furthermore, a tube 31 is disposed on the second entrance 43. One terminal of the tube 31 is formed with an external threaded section to be engaged with the second entrance 43, and another terminal of the tube 31 connects to a metallic tapered body 32, in which a hollow rubber tapered sleeve 33 sleeves over the tapered body 32. A flange is formed on a portion with a largest diameter of the tapered body 32 to be engaged with the tapered sleeve 33. Therefore, the second entrance 43 is connected to an opening of a cooling system, i.e. a radiator or a recovery tank, of a motor vehicle through the tapered body 32. Moreover, the tapered body 32 is made of metallic material in order to have better properties of rigidness and durableness, while the tapered sleeve 33 is made of elastic rubber in order to tightly engage with the opening of the cooling system. What's more, the tapered sleeve 33 is detachable from the tapered body 32, which allows user to install a tapered sleeve 33 with a proper size corresponding to the dimension of the opening on the tapered body 32.

The third passage includes a third entrance 44 and a third exit 48. The third entrance 44 is connectable with an external tube communicating a coolant source (not shown), and the third exit 48 is disposed in the interior of the plastic body 10 and communicates with the second exit 47. A second valve 46 is disposed on the third passage near the third entrance 44 to control the coolant flow.

Next, please refer to FIG. 3 and 5. In the present usage state, the first valve 45 is turned open, and the second valve 46 is turned closed. When the compressor begins to work, the compressed air flows into the vacuum generator 50 through the first entrance 41, and then flows out of the vacuum generator 50 through the first exit 42, creating a negative pressure in the second passage. Therefore, the air in the radiator or the recovery tank is drawn out through the tapered body 32 and evacuated from the vacuum generator 50 through the first exit 42 as well. A vacuum system is then produced in the cooling system while the user can observe by reading the pressure gauge.

When all of the air is evacuated from the cooling system, the first valve 45 is closed and the second valve 46 is open. Because the first exit 42 is a non-return valve, the air in the surrounding will not sucked into the cooling system therefrom to break the vacuum. On the contrary, the coolant of the coolant source is sucked into the cooling system through the third entrance 44, and no air will blend into the coolant since there is substantially no air left in the cooling system.

In another embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 6, the third passage does not communicate with the second passage. Instead, the third passage connects to the cooling system itself. Therefore, the coolant of the coolant source can also be sucked into the cooling system through the third passage. In this embodiment, the air flow and the coolant flow through separate passages as desired in special conditions.

Based on the above-mentioned disclosure, it will be readily understood that the coolant filling apparatus of the present invention is designed to realize the follow efficacy:

1. The vacuum generator of the present invention is directly installed in the interior of the plastic body, so there will not be any joint portions to be worn-down as conventional art is.

2. The passages of the present invention are formed in the plastic body, so the volume of the apparatus can be shorten, which can be easily stored.

3. No air will blend into the filling coolant since a vacuum system is created in the cooling system when using the apparatus of the present invention to drawn all the air therefrom, which increases the safety when driving the motor vehicle. 

1. A coolant filling apparatus for a motor vehicle, comprising: a plastic body, a pressure gauge, a vacuum generator, a first passage, a second passage and a third passage; wherein, the pressure gauge and the vacuum generator are directly installed on the plastic body, and the first and second passages are disposed in an interior of the plastic body; wherein, the first and second passages communicate with each other, two terminals of the first passage are formed with a first entrance, for connecting to a compressor, and a first exit respectively, and a first valve is disposed on the first passage near the first entrance, between the first entrance and the first exit is disposed the vacuum generator; wherein, the second passage comprises a second entrance and a second exit, the second exit communicates with the vacuum generator, the second entrance communicates with an external region surrounding the coolant filling apparatus, and the second entrance is used for connecting to an opening of a coolant system of the motor vehicle, the pressure gauge communicates with a vacuum section of the first passage or the second passage, provided when the coolant filling apparatus is in use, to gauge pressure therein; wherein, the third passage comprises a third entrance and a third exit, the third entrance is connectable with an external tube, and a second valve is disposed on the third passage.
 2. The coolant filling apparatus of claim 1, wherein the third exit of the third passage is disposed in the interior of the plastic body and connects to the second exit of the second passage.
 3. The coolant filling apparatus of claim 2, wherein a tube is disposed on the second entrance of the second passage, one terminal of the tube is formed with a threaded section to be engaged with the second entrance, and another terminal of the tube connects to a metallic tapered body.
 4. The coolant filling apparatus of claim 3, wherein a hollow rubber tapered sleeve is sleevable over the tapered body, and a flange is formed on a portion with a largest diameter of the tapered body to be engaged with the tapered sleeve.
 5. The coolant filling apparatus of claim 1, wherein a joint opening is formed on the plastic body to receive the pressure gauge therein, and a gauge end of the pressure gauge is disposed in the second passage.
 6. The coolant filling apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second valve is disposed on the third passage near the first entrance.
 7. The coolant filling apparatus of claim 1, wherein the third exit of the third passage communicates with the external region surrounding the coolant filling apparatus, and the third exit is connectable with an opening of the coolant system of the motor vehicle.
 8. The coolant filling apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first exit is a non-return valve for air to be evacuated therefrom only. 